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Wedding Stationery: The Pieces and Parts

Jessica from Odd Duck Press put together this seriously helpful post about wedding stationery. She previously shared a great post about etiquette and invitation wording, check it out if you missed it! Thanks Jessica, you are a wealth of knowledge. :)

Ok, first take a deep breath. This will be painless, I promise! I know that with the myriad of to-do’s involved in getting ready for the BIG DAY, planning the invitation suite can be daunting. (How do you tactfully let people know their kids aren’t invited? What is an escort card?) Let’s take it a step at a time and begin by breaking down the invitation suite.

Get the full breakdown after the jump…

Creative Start Design

Save the Date Card

This will give your guests a heads up as to when and where your wedding will be. It is essential if you are planning a destination wedding, if you will be inviting many out of state guests or if your wedding coincides with a major holiday.

Reply Card

Reception Card

Details for the reception are often included on the invitation itself. However, if you are planning a very formal wedding, if some guests will be invited to the reception only or if the reception will be held at a different location, you may want to consider a separate reception card.

Accommodations Card

Directions Card

If you are expecting many out of town guests, a directions card can be very helpful. It often includes a map with all of the venues, accommodations, and some local points of interest clearly labeled as well as written directions.

Rehearsal Dinner Invitation

Program

Here is where you share the details of your ceremony. You can include the names of the bridal party, the officiant as well as any readings, music or anything else about the ceremony that you want your guests to know. about.

Place Card

Menu

If you are having a formal dinner, you may want to have printed menus at each place setting. If the reception includes a buffet, you might prefer to have one menu on display or each dish could be individually labeled.

Thank You Card

A handwritten thank you note is a must and your guests will appreciate it. Thank you cards should be sent out within 3 months of the wedding. To get a jump on this, you can start sending out your thank you cards as you receive gifts before the wedding.

There are a lot of items on that list; are they all necessary? The good news is that it’s really up to you and your fiance. Your invitation suite will be a reflection of your styles and personalities. Figure out your budget early on and stick to it. Let your invitation designer know which pieces you need to have and which pieces you would ideally like to have; we’re good at finding creative solutions!